Behind Every Great Man is a Greater Woman
by crazy-but-cute
Summary: Voldemort wasn't the brains behind his operation it was actually an immortal woman named Promise who will always love dumbledore, as the 2nd war draws closer she must make her choice.......please r
1. Default Chapter

Behind Every Great Man is a Greater Woman  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Dear Promise  
I know this will reach you as Fawkes never fails. Although many like to believe that you like Tom are dead or decaying somewhere know you better than that. I know I swore never to contact you but now I feel I have to. I am aware that Tom is alive and obviously rising again, on your orders or otherwise. The ministry however is happy ignoring all the proof I present him with and is in the papers I'm a dithering old fool, I expect you find that funny. I always prayed that after his downfall you were somewhere happy enjoying your life. I am to ask you a favour. If Tom is to try again on your orders then you know I am to ask you to stay away from me and not reply. If he is doing this without your consent then please do not join him. Whatever our differences in the past I still think about you often. Never forget. Albus  
  
I read the letter through again. I knew Albus would not leave me forever and he still thinks of me, we were just of different beliefs but he knew about Tom which wasn't a good sign. Tom wasn't the only one who has been hiding all this time. It was easier for me though, most believed me to be a myth or a legend, except for those who had been loyal, those who faced Azkaban to keep the secret safe, too stay faithful and they alone will be rewarded by Tom. And Dumbledore knows of course, who knows what, will happen to him.  
  
I detest Tom, I'll always detest him, he has this ridiculous obsession with being evil, and he fails to see that it is a weakness. I am the level above good and evil. If good and evil were man and wife I'd be the bed they slept, in the love that holds them together. I'll live forever, nothing can kill me and every hundred years or so I get bored. It's very difficult to watch king after king followed my minister after minister screw up the world you live in and not want to take control. I knew what I need to do to make it great, I needed to dictate the magical world, I'd take it by force. It wasn't long after I made this decision I met Tom, someone to do all the dirty work for me. He loved it, being feared by all, he even loved the killings. Except the last one.  
  
He believes I set him up. It was a test more than anything. We were often arguing and he said he could carry on without me. "I don't need you Promise, I have strong followers, I can win the war alone." He shouted at me one night like an angry teenager. "Ok then Tom, you couldn't even wipe out a family. The potters for instance, you couldn't even kill the boy let alone Lily and James." I calmly replied and off he went.  
  
I feel truly awful about that, I liked James, he was cheeky and cute, when I first met Albus I spent a lot of time at the school and spent hours planning pranks with James and Sirius, they both knew there was something strange about me, dark detectors would go crazy when I got too close to them and often my ideas for pranks were a bit too sinister for the Marauders. The only thing that bothered me about the school was the Slytherin house. I knew I was an ancestor of the founder Salazaar, his great grandmother or something I had two sons but their fathers insisted on bringing them up but they kept my name and although I had love for them it would be difficult for me to be a mother as eventually my children would grow older than me (my immortality and eternal youth cannot be passed genetically) but I discovered most people in the house wanted to be feared and evil just like Tom.  
  
I wasn't like that at all but sometimes the evil in me rises and it's too much but whatever else I have done I never wanted to hurt Lily and James. I knew from Albus the baby was powerful I hoped Tom would go to him first, discover this one year old was an equal to him and come back feeling sorry and ashamed. I never imagined he'd start with Lily and James and then completely ruin all my hard work.  
  
I need to thank the Potter boy one day, for giving me a break from him for a while. I want to apologise as well but what is done is done. I never had a family either. I never remember being a child I was just here one day. I just woke up on a rock and I existed, I don't have a mother or a father, a birthday or an age. I'll never grow old or die. Albus and I used to celebrate it though, the rock day. I remember it clearly. I awoke on this rock and just sat there for a while when I saw a beautiful purple snake so I picked it up. "Can you tell me where I am? Who I am even?" I asked it. "A parseltongue! That is what you are but I don't know who you are, does that mean something?" he replied looking at my ankle. I looked down and saw what is now called a tattoo. It said Promise and had a picture of a snake. "What type of snake are you?" I asked him "I'm a slytherin." He informed me, they're extinct now which is sad as they are so beautiful. Then I decided on a name, I needed something to call myself so Promise Slytherin I became. I lived through many centuries and discovered all sorts of powers I possessed not only was I a witch but I had extra talents, I could talk to snakes, I could levitate and make myself invisible, I also believed being able to apparate was a great talent until I found it wasn't that hard for others too, best of all I was Animagus, I could turn myself into a slytherin snake, I suppose technically I'm the only one left.  
  
My thought is interrupted by an owl flying through my window. Once again I recognise the handwriting.  
  
Promise I have risen again from the dead almost, Pettigrew returned to me and one of my questions is to ask why you did not? Though I'm assuming it was to either teach me a lesson or because your good side made you return to that mud blood loving fool. Whatever the reason I will win the war this time and stand by you in whatever you decide don't be so foolish as to not accept me back. Lord Voldemort  
  
Now I have to make my decision. I got out some parchment and started to write. 


	2. chapter2

Chapter 2  
  
Dumbledore sat at his desk but he was facing the window, peering into the night. He had spent many nights like this, just thinking. However this time he was waiting, it had been a week since he'd written to Promise and if he didn't hear from her soon it was obvious she had joined Voldemort again. He was disgusted at himself for contacting her as he'd promised himself he never would. He couldn't forgive her for Lily and James, no matter how much he wanted to.  
  
Hours past as he sat in darkness, then finally he saw Fawkes returning to him, flying through the starry sky. He dropped a letter on Dumbledore's lap, he recognised Promise's untidy scrawl.  
  
Dear Albus I was surprised to hear from you I was under the idea I had lost that privilege. I am fully aware of Tom's return and of his plan as he has also contacted me. I can no longer be held responsible for his actions since this time he has no support from me. I cannot explain much in this letter however there is still so much more to be said. I would like to come to the school. If you will not allow this please don't reply, being rejected by you again would hurt too much. Yours Forever Promise xx  
  
It was curiosity more than anything which swayed his decision, Promise would come to the school but first he had a number of people to inform.  
  
Sirius was waiting outside Dumbledore's door wondering what this very urgent message could be. Harry was safe and his name was clear. Only Voldemort caused this agitation in Albus. "Come in Sirius." Dumbledore called from the other side of the door. Sirius strolled in and settled himself opposite the old man. "I have something very important to tell you and you may be angry or disgusted with me but you must let me finish." "Okay then." Sirius replied, now very curious. "We have a visitor coming to stay at Hogwarts. She is a very old friend of mine and we will be discussing Voldemort's plans as I believe she may be able to help. I wanted to warn you so you don't make a scene in front of the entire school." "You haven't...Dumbledore tell me it's not who I think it is. You can't bring that evil, murdering bitch here, what about Harry?" Sirius was shaking with rage, what an earth was Dumbledore playing at. "If you are referring to Promise Slytherin then yes I have. I intend to talk to Harry unless you wish to talk to him yourself." "Just let me know the day she'll be arriving and the day she leaves I'll lock myself away somewhere until then." Furious Sirius stood up and left slamming the door behind him  
  
Sirius stormed through the school oblivious to all those around him even Harry who was on his way to see Dumbledore.  
  
An hour later, Harry was lying in his dorm, the curtains drawn round the bed. His head was spinning; he couldn't believe what Dumbledore told him. He was inviting a woman to stay at Hogwarts, the woman who had been responsible for his parent's death; however Dumbledore tried to explain it, he knew what he'd been trying not to say, she'd been basically daring Voldemort to do it. He knew Sirius had spoken to Dumbledore and was very angry so Harry decided to find Remus.  
  
"It's very hard to judge Promise, Harry. She's lived so long and done many things as many good as evil. Your father was very close to her when she was last at the school." Remus was trying hard to explain everything to Harry. But he wasn't taking any of it. "Well I doubt she was daring Voldemort to murder him at the time. I know my dad was against the dark arts and death eaters. He wasn't evil like her." "She neither is evil Harry nor was she a death eater, she's much stronger than Voldemort. Just remember whatever she said to him it was Voldemort holding that wand, your father knew what she was like, she was working with Voldemort many years ago and your father still allowed her to attend his wedding, she went with Dumbledore." Harry got up and left he had to see her.  
  
Back on his bed Harry was scanning the pictures of his parents wedding, he finally found one of Dumbledore dancing with a dark-haired woman. They stopped dancing and started waving. Looking at her ankle he saw the tattoo "Promise" and a little snake. She had eyes like Dumbledore except hers were green rather than blue but they both possessed the same twinkle. Her dark hair was long and curly and she was wearing a simple pink dress, despite the high heels she was still a foot shorter than Dumbledore and she was obviously finding this amusing, Harry stared at them for a while and was becoming amused himself when he slammed the book shut. She had practically killed the happy coupled who she was joking and laughing with. He wasn't about to suffer the same fate.  
  
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Hundreds of miles away Lucius Malfoy was also staring at a photograph of Promise. She was standing between the Dark Lord and himself. The sky behind them was full of fireworks, the largest being the Dark Mark. Just then his study door burst open he looked up to see his wife, Narcissa, in the doorway. "What are you doing Darling? I thought all those pictures had been destroyed. Oh! I see. No wonder you want to keep that one. What's so special about her Lucius?" "I don't know what you are talking about I was simply clearing out the desk and it was wedged at the back. I must go and get changed there is a meeting tonight." With that he left the room and half an hour later he left without saying goodbye. Always nosy and interfering Narcissa had to check things out. Finding the photo on top of some parchment she picked it up to discover it was a letter from the dark lord himself.  
  
Lucius, I have contacted Promise but she is refusing to join me. I am unaware if this is her final decision so I am leaving the task of persuasion to you. Do not fail me. I know we all want her back. I am not the only one who missed and needs her. Lord Voldemort.  
  
She would follow Lucius to the ends of the earth and if that meant following the dark Lord then she would do so but she wasn't always entirely happy with the situation. She was annoyed at Voldemort for letters like this, he was practically telling her Lucius to sleep with the slut. Underneath his was another letter. Lucius was obviously about to owl it.  
  
Dear Promise I'm sure you are as delighting over our Lord's return as I am. I am also overjoyed at the prospect of seeing you again. It's been far too long and I hope you have not forgotten about me, you are always on my mind. Your faithful servant Lucius  
  
The bitch was back then. As much as she loved her husband Narcissa also understood him and wasn't under any delusions. She was fully aware that Lucius was much more in love with Promise than he was with her; she also knew that her competition wasn't interested in him at all, it made it even more painful for Narcissa knowing she was second best. She could only hope that Promise stayed far away. 


End file.
